


Love

by 2Nerdzz



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, Fluff, One Shot, Post-War, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:08:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24544381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2Nerdzz/pseuds/2Nerdzz
Summary: “I never understood love before,” Byleth blurted out as she and Edelgard laid in the grass together.“What?” Edelgard asked.An afternoon rest with Edelgard results in Byleth revealing how she viewed "love" during the war.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & My Unit | Byleth, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 3
Kudos: 127





	Love

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone, first time poster on ao3. With how rough the world is right now I thought I'd post a small one shot I wrote recently to hopefully lighten some people's days. Enjoy!

“I never understood love before,” Byleth blurted out as she and Edelgard laid in the grass together.

“What?” Edelgard asked as she looked over to the woman she held so closely to her heart. They often laid together like this, underneath a warm sun, the sound of a nearby stream and birds singing being the only thing heard other than their voices.

“Before we ended the war, I never understood what love was,” Byleth answered. She kept her eyes to the sky above her, her hands propping her head up slightly. “I knew what love looked like. A man giving a woman expensive gifts. Kisses, hand holding, all of that. I knew it was all related to love, but I didn’t understand it.” Edelgard’s attention was solely on Byleth now. It always intrigued her to hear her beloved speak about the past and how she viewed things, especially since her emotions were not nearly as strong then as they were now.

“You knew what it looked like but not how it felt?” Edelgard questioned. She had rolled over to lay on her side now, one hand draped over her hip while the other propped her head up.

“I suppose it was like that. I had met plenty of people who claimed to love me, and they did things to try and earn my love back, but love itself is more than just gifts and physical contact. It’s something beyond those things.” Byleth’s voice easily drifted between them. Even talking so gently it was as if the world had become quiet to listen in. “Love is like a connection, or a bond might be a better word for it. It’s something not easily broken, it’s illogical at times, and will eventually result in pain. I don’t think I understood why someone would put themselves through that. As a mercenary we are hired to fight and kill, you must be logical, to think with a clear head. And any form of weakness if discovered will be exploited by the enemy.”

Byleth paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. “I’m not explaining this well am I,” her eyes broke away from the sky for a moment to meet Edelgard’s. Edelgard simply chuckled lightly in response.

“You’re explaining it as best you can, and it’s interesting to hear you talk about what it was like then,” Edelgard answered. Byleth looked to the sky once more and took a deep breath.

“During the war, everyone knew how much you cared about me. When I found out I asked myself why you cared so much, and why you showed it enough for other people to take notice.” Byleth’s eyes began to seemingly scan the sky, as if it held the words she was looking for. “I became a target to get to you, a weakness. I didn’t understand why you would allow yourself to have a weakness, especially with what all was at stake.”

“You’re starting to sound like Hubert did,” Edelgard sighed. She rolled back onto her back and looked up to the sky. “‘Don’t let people know how worried you are over the Professor’ he used to say. Or ‘Don’t let others find out you hold her so closely’.”

“I can’t say I’m surprised,” Byleth said with a short laugh. “But still you did, you left yourself open to being hurt and abused by caring about me like you did then.”

“You said yourself that love is something beyond romantic acts and being intimate. Love can be a weakness, but it can also be strength.” Byleth hummed in agreement at Edelgard’s words.

“Yes I understand that now, but I didn’t then. Love was something foreign, something that didn’t make sense on the battlefield. And I couldn’t understand why you, of all people, you who was willing to sacrifice everything, allowed yourself to love me. The strong Emperor leading the war against Fodlan, falling in love with her school professor. I know I gave you gifts here and there, and we often had tea together, but we hadn’t done any of the other things that meant ‘love’ to me. You loved me without me doing the things I believed love was, and then.”

“Did you think I was weak for loving you?” Edelgard asked. She was half expecting not to get an answer since Byleth didn’t immediately respond. But Byleth just needed to find her words.

“I did,” Byleth answered simply. “Which I think added on to how foreign the idea of love was to me. People will willingly open themselves to a weakness by being in love with another.”

“I never saw it as a weakness,” Edelgard huffed. She wasn’t upset with Byleth, but more the past Byleth who only saw love as a weakness.

“Now I know it’s not, but then…” Byleth’s voice trailed off. She took one of her hands and placed it over her beating heart. “It wasn’t until our final battle with the Immaculate One that I started to understand. I knew there was always something between us. I could never put my finger on what it was, but there was something. Looking back I suppose it might have been love that I was feeling, but I’m not sure… But in the final battle, when we stood against the Immaculate One, I was scared. Scared I would lose you.” Byleth stopped and took a shaky breath. Edelgard looked over and saw the stress on her face. Gently Edelgard took Byleth’s hand into her own. Byleth turned to look at her and smiled gently before returning her eyes to the sky.

“I had never feared losing someone like that before. Even my father, it hurt to lose him, but I didn’t fear it. It was a part of life to die, and as a soldier for hire people die all the time, either at your hands or the hands of others. It was scary, terrifying even, to feel afraid to lose someone in battle. And then when the Immaculate One fell, and I felt myself drifting, I was afraid for myself. I never feared death before then, and I think my fear was that I was leaving you.”

“I’m sorry I’m rambling,” Byleth said while shaking her head.

“No, no it’s fine. You can keep going,” Edelgard said softly.

“When the crest stone left me, I was hit with so many emotions. They were so powerful and I never felt anything like it before. And all I remember thinking was ‘God I hope Edelgard is okay’, and when I opened my eyes you were right there hugging me so tightly,” Byleth continued. “I was so happy, happy to be alive, happy that you were alive, and happy that you were holding me so tightly. I think… I think that’s when I began to understand what love was.”

Byleth rolled a bit until she was hovering over Edelgard’s body. Their eyes stared into each other. “Love is illogical, strength and weakness, it’s messy, painful, and goes beyond physical attraction and intimacy. I had never been so crazy about someone, so scared to hurt them or be hurt by them. And when I realized you were the one clinging on to me so tightly, when I felt your warmth. I was so happy. And I realized in that moment that I never wanted to be parted from you if helped. Before I couldn’t understand because everything was so dull, but when I was with you everything was so bright, colorful.”

“You showed me what love, true love, is,” Byleth lowered herself slightly to get closer to Edelgard. “And for that, I am forever thankful El.” Byleth dipped down enough to palace a soft kiss to Edelgard’s lips. It was gentle, soft, and filled with tenderness.

“Byleth,” Edelgard answered. She was slightly flustered by Byleth’s words but couldn’t help but smile. She lifted her hand so that she may caress Byleth’s face. “Thank you for loving me back. I never in my life thought my feelings for someone would be reciprocated.”

“Everyone deserves to feel loved,” Byleth said sweetly. “It’s such a unique thing, to be in love, and to be loved back. And it’s something I would never give up now that I understand it.” Byleth lowered herself once more, and pressed a kiss to Edelgard’s lips, which she happily returned.


End file.
